A Tortured Mind and a Mother’s Love
by Dionysus101
Summary: Depicts Azula's post-war struggles with her family. Can she come to terms with her defeat and regain her sanity?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar**

**This two chapter short is basically centralized around post-war Azula. I thought her fall was one of the most dramatic scenes in the entire series, so I wanted to continue her usually isn't my style of writing, but hopefully it will satisfy.**

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She sat alone in a cell. Alone, like she always had been and like she always will be. She had no one. No one loved her. Everyone feared her. Her father thought of her more as a weapon, a military tool, than a daughter. Her mother saw her as a blood-thirsty monster. Her brother was a traitor and never trusted her. Her "friends" betrayed her because they could not be controlled.

Why did it end like this? Why did she have to fall? She knew she had gone insane. She couldn't handle her life any longer. Everyone loathed her, wanted her to fall from power. What was she to have done differently? She had seen her fall ahead of time, but could do nothing to stop it. Her tortured subconscious flashed images of her mother in her mirror.

Her mother. Even destroying the mirror could not ease the pain. She had loved her son, comforted him when times were hard, but left her daughter alone. Alone to deal with her own problems. Alone as a child! She had to fight even as a child to find love, and it never came! What she wanted the most, more than power or glory, and it never came! She couldn't admit that she needed it, though. She couldn't admit she had wished for her mother's love every night of her life! How she longed for the security Zuko had.

She had to detach herself from it all. She must push her thoughts away if she were to recover. She must regain sanity and the good faith of her brother. For when she is free, he will pay. They all will pay…

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**Well, what did you think? Should Azula get a second chance to "redeem" herself from her tragic life. Does she really wish to kill her brother and mother?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar**

**And now, the REAL story begins. Yes, I've extended this story from my originally planned two chapters to FIVE. Ooooh... I'm an idiot. Anyway, this chapter will NOT be in Azula's point of view. So enjoy...**

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"This way, ma'am," rang the voice of the guard from ahead.

The footsteps of the crimson cloaked women echoed across the catacomb of hallways in the prison as she hurried to keep up with her escort. Her emotionless pale skinned face was illuminated by the torchlight as she strode forward towards the impending confrontation in the cell ahead. Although she feigned a strong appearance to those around her now, she was falling apart inside. Her imagination and rational mind fought valiantly with her conscious to try to keep her from seeing the upcoming scene, but she knew she must. She knew, for her daughter's sake.

She had been a horrible mother to her. She should have seen the signs of stress on her young daughter long ago. It was her fault that she had broken. Without her mother's love, she had developed away from society and had fallen into the hands of a tyrant. He had used her as he saw fit, not treating her with love like his daughter, but using her as a political tool and a way to seize power.

Ursa had heard the stories of her daughter's brutality while traveling the globe. The Princess of the Fire Nation was the face of fear for most of the world. She had knifed her way into Ba Sing Se and overthrew it almost single handedly. The last significant symbol of resistance was extinguished, not by the armies of the Firelord, but by her.

The guard ahead of her stopped at an average-sized door and stood at attention as she approached.

"She has been subdued and is not a threat to your safety ma'am," he said as he motioned for her to enter the room. Ursa thanked him as she made her way inside.

The room was well lit by candles on the walls. Unlike the other cells with barred-walls separating the visitor from the prisoner, this room was open. Two dark red cushions lay on the stone floor in front of her and on the furthest from her sat her daughter. She was facing the wall away from Ursa; her dark hair, normally shiny and well-groomed, hung in a mess over her shoulders. Ursa's heart leapt into her throat. She hadn't seen her daughter in over six years. How much had changed since she had left?

Ursa sat in silence for a few moments, unsure if her daughter even knew she was present. When it became clear that she did not, Ursa spoke.

"Azula…"

The girl seized as though she were awoken from a deep sleep and turned to face her mother. Their eyes connected. Ursa froze. Her daughter's frantic gaze through so many emotions at her, she felt like she could not breathe. Her lungs seemed to be filled with ice. She felt Azula's pain, confusion, anger, sadness. All of her emotions hit Ursa with the weight of a boulder, leaving her paralyzed in the aftermath.

"Mother… is it really you?" she asked in a small trembling voice.

"Yes dear, I am here," said Ursa soothingly.

Without warning, Azula's expression morphed into anger.

"No! You aren't here! You're just my mind playing tricks on me again! I won't listen!" Her voice rose until she was nearly screaming. She covered her ears and tucked her head to her chest.

Unsure of what to do or say, Ursa sat back onto the cushion until Azula had calmed down.

"No, Azula. I'm real and in the flesh. You've grown so much since I've last seen you."

Azula straightened to meet her mother's eyes.

"Why would you care? You think I'm a monster! You always loved Zuko; he was your favorite child while I was alone!" Tears streamed from her eyes as she spoke.

Her words stung Ursa, but she knew that Azula would resent her. She had every reason to.

"Azula, you are my daughter and I love you just as much as Zuko."

Azula wiped her wet cheeks with the cloth that bound her hands and stared angrily at the women in front of her.

"You do not. I remember how you would scold me for doing things that father would praise me for." Her face tensed in pain as words began to spill from her mouth.

"I thought he loved me, so I clung to him. But he just saw me as a weapon, his perfect pet. I had no one. Zuko was weak and Mai and Ty Lee secretly resented me. They betrayed me!"

Ursa took in the things Azula had said for a few moments before responding.

"Dear, your father was corrupted by power. I should have seen how he used you. I should have stopped him from planting his ideas into your head, but I was too short-sided to. Because of that, you've developed… differently. You just can't control people with fear, Azula."

"Fear is the only way! Trust is for the weak!" Azula shouted at her mother.

"No, people do not respect fear. Fear leads to betrayal. Trust is having faith. To know that you can count on another's helped no mater the situation is a wonderful feeling."

Azula turned away from her mother to face the wall. Her body shook with tremors as she sobbed. Pity filled Ursa as she watched her daughter. She was confused. Confused about everything, it seemed.

Ursa rose and walked towards the sobbing girl, tentatively placing a hand on her shoulder. Azula cringed at first, but showed no further resistance. Ursa smiled at this. Perhaps she was opening up to her for the first time in her life.

"I know it's hard, Azula, but we will get through this together. You may think you are alone, part of you might even wish it, but you're not. You've always had me because you're my daughter, my little girl. I love you Azula and I hope you can come to love me. I'm sorry for not being here when you've needed me, but I'm here now."

Ursa leaned in and kissed Azula's cheek. Azula didn't react. She stared straight ahead of her at the stone wall, though she had stopped crying. She was deep in thought. Ursa decided she done all she could for now, and rose to leave. As she reached the cell door, another thought occurred to her.

"Azula, I know that you and Zuko have had a… rocky relationship. But I think, deep down, he loves you too. He defended you when the nobles demanded a trial for execution. He told me that he put you here because he thought it could change your outlook on life, just as separation did for him."

Ursa waited for a response, but it never came. Azula sat perfectly still. She was thinking on what Ursa had said. Ursa smiled to herself as she closed the cell door behind her. She knew Azula would make it.

The guard at the door stood ready and at attention as Ursa appeared from the room.

"Are you ready to leave ma'am?"

"No," Ursa said with a frown. "I have one more prisoner I must see."

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**Cliffhanger! Yes, I'm in to cliffhangers. Who is she going to see? I don't know (of course I know since I'm writing this, I'm just taunting you). Though you probably can guess... Feel free to review.**


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